Car-coupling



(No Model.)

M. DOWNBY.

Gar Coupling.

No. 239,034. Patented Marlch 22,1881.

o: E1 3G N PETERS. PHOTOMTHQGRAPHER, wAsHmGvoN. D CV VUNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

MICHAEL DOWNEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 239,034, dated March 22, 1881.

Application filed January 3, 1881.` (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL DoWNEY, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful I mprovement in Oar-Couplings, ot' which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to a car-coupling, and has for its object to produce a strong and sirnple coupling which is automatic in action.

My improved coupling consists, essentially, of a holdin g-dog pivoted in the draw-head, and

having a projection to engage a correspond` ing notch in the connecting-link, which, when inserted in the draw-head, as the cars come together, engages a shoulder upon the holdingdog, turning it on its pivot` to cause its projection to enter the notch of the link, after which a locking device automatically comes into position to retain the said dog engaged with and holding the link securely. When it is desired to unshackle the cars the said locking device is properly moved to allow the holdt ing-dog to turn on its pivot, and the projecholding-dog by a suitable lever or handletion thereon and notch in the link being preferably V-shaped, or having their engaging faces inclined to the line of action of the pulling force, the said dog will be turned aside on its pivot as soon as any strain is brought upon the said link to pull it from the draw-head. The locking device is operated to release the adapted to be operated from the top ot' a car by means of a chain or other suitable connector. The openin gin the draw-head is made of considerable width measured vertically, and one end of the link is made to iit with tolerable snuguess therein, it being held laterally between one side of the said draw-head and the holding-dog, while the other end of the said link is made of a considerably less depth than the opening in the draw-ahead, to enable it to enter therein incase the two drawheads to be connected arenot at the same height from the rails. Y

Figure l is a top view ot' a car-couplin g enibodying my invention, the upper portion of the draw-heads being broken away to show the interior mechanism g Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof 5 and Fig. 3, a modification showing a link adapted to connect cars, one of which has my improved draw-head and the other a draw-head of ordinary construction.

The draw-heads a a', connected by drawbars to the body of the car in any usual manner, contain the holding-dogs b b', pivoted at 2, and provided with holding-points 3, shown as V-shaped proj cctions, to engage corresponding holding-points 4 at either end of the link c. The said dogs have a squared shoulder, 9, adapted to be brought by the link,when entering the draw-head, into coincidence with the squared end of the said link, the dog being rotated on its pivot to accomplish this result, and its holding-point 3 brought into engagement with the holding-point 4 of the link by `the same movement. The portion 6 of the link, which is to be last joined to its drawhead, 4is made narrower vertically than the portion 5, that is secured in its draw-head before the cars are coupled together, it projecting from the middle of the said portion 5, so that in case the draw-heads are not at the same height or do not register properly the said thin portion 6 of the link will enter somewhere in the said opening.

A locking device (shown as a block, e, pivoted at 7 on the inner face of the draw-head) is adapted to fall down between the holding end 3 of the dog` b or b and the side of the draw-head, to prevent the said dog from rotating ou its pivot to disengage the holdingpoints 3 4 of the said dog band link.

A lifting-toe, i, on the inner face of the drawhead, below the block e, is connected with the squared end ot' a pivot, m, extended out through the side of the draw-head,and connected with ,a lever, a, adapted to be operated by a chain,

o, to turn the said toe on its pivot, and thereby cause it to engage and raise the block e, as shown in dotted lines at the right hand, Fig. 2, bringing the said block opposite a recess, 8, in the dog b or b', to allow the holding-point of the said dog to be turned aside to permit the link to be inserted or removed. The movement of the lever a is limited in either direction by the stops s s', which allow the lifting-l toe t' to be removed just sufficient distance to properly operate the locking device e.

In operation, when desired to couple two cars, the blocks e are raised to allow the holding-points of the dogs to be turned aside, as

IOO

shown at the right hand, Fig. l, to permit the link to enter the draw-head, and when thus turned aside the block e will rest in the recess of the said dogs,being supported thereby, and the toe '11 will be dropped, as shown at the left hand, Fig. 2. The thick end 5 of the link c will then be inserted by the operator in the opening of one of the draw-heads, as the one a, Fig. 1, and upon striking the shoulder 9 oi' the dog b therein will turn the said dog iu its pivot, bringing the holding-point 3 thereof in to engagement with the one 4 of the link c, and by the same movement allowing the block c to fall down behind the said dog and prevent it from bein'g rotated back on its pivot to disengage the link until the said block is again raised by the operator turning` the lever a. When the cars come together, after the link c has been thus inserted and held in the drawhead a, the thin end 6 of the link will enter the draw-head a', strike the shoulder 9 of the dog b therein, and turn it into engagement with the said link, and by the said movement allow the block c to fall and lock the said dog and link together, and thereby retain the cars shackled as long as desired.

When desired to unshackle the cars the operator raises one of the levers a, as shown at the right of Fig. 2, thereby causing the lifting-toet' to raise the block c until it comes into line with the recess 8 of the dog b or b', leaving the said dog free to turn on its pivot, so that as soon as any strain is brought on the link c its holding-point 4 acts on the point B of the dog and turns Ait aside, the link then passing out from the draw-head, and leaving it, as shown at the right hand, Fig. 2, ready to again receive a link when desired to again shackle together the cars.

To provide for the use of my improved coupling on one car in co-operation with the ordinary link-pin coupling on another car, the

thin end 6 of the link c may be provided with jectionable, for the reason that upon withdrawal, strain being exerted upon the connect ing-bar, it will draw with it the forward part of the tumbler, and consequently raise the rear portion thereof, and as this rear portion rises the spring-dog will be pushedout of contact with its engaging notch, and thus cause the unauthorized release ofthe coupling.

In my construction no such danger as an automatic and unauthorized release of the coupling-bar is possible, because the V-projection 3 enters and is rigidly held within a correspon din g-shaped notch,4, immediately on which entry the pivoted block c drops down between the holding end 3 of the dog and the side of the draw-head, from which position it cannot be removed except by raising the lever mwhich operates to lift the toe t' and raise the block e out of locking contact.

I claiml. In a car-coupling,.the draw-head and a dog, b, pivoted therein, and provided with a V-shaped holding-point, 3, and squared shoulder 9,combined with a con nectinglink, c, having a notch, 4, to engage the holding-point of the dog, and an endto abut against the squared shoulder of the dog, to rotate said dog on its pivot and throw its holding-point into the notch, substantially as shown.

2. In a car-couplin g, the draw-head, apivoted dog therein havin ga holding-point,3, and shoulder 9, and a connecting link having a notch to receive the point 8, combined with a pivoted locking-block, e, adapted to fall in between the draw-head face'and the side of the dog, to lock said dog with the link, substantially as described.

3. In a car coupling, the draw-head and holding-dog pivoted therein, combined with the locking-block e, to retain the said dog in engagement with'tlie link, and a lifting-toe, i, and means to operate it to raise the said locking-block, and thereby release the dog and link, substantially as described.

4. In a carcoupling, the drawheads and holding-dogs therein, combined with a link to be engaged by the said dogs, it being at one end of substantially the size of the opening in the draw-head, to t snuglyT and be held squarely therein, and at its other end of considerably less thickness vertically, to enable it to enter a draw-head at a different height from the rails from the one in which the link is snugly iitted,substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL DOWNEY.

Vitnesses G. W. GREGORY, J os. l?. LIVERMORE.

IOO

IIO 

